Once upon a time
by Kit Kat87
Summary: Princess Alanna is shocked to find out about her betrothal. Would all end well or were things simply not meant to be.
1. The knight of twilight

Princess Alanna of Twilight descended from her carriage onto the rich red carpet rolled out especially for her. She took a look around the strange country that was to be her new home. She had just lately been told that she had been betrothed to none other than Prince Jonathan of Conte and it was difficult to tell which of the young couple was most angry about this. Alanna had always wanted to become a lady knight and had she been anything less than a princess she would have done anything to achieve that goal. However, luck was not in her favour. She was born of royal blood and with it came both power and great responsibility. For the good of her people and for her family she had decided to give up her dreams and to do what she must. However, she had compromised in her situation. As she learnt the skills of etiquettes by day, by night she was learning the skills of fencing, archery and combat fighting. As many had seen her out at the dead of night, they thought her to be a ghost. She greatly encouraged that story and soon became known as the knight of twilight.  
  
However, that was all a dream from the sudden reality that had faced Alanna. As she had managed to take things one step at a time, the step which she had to take now was a little to larger even for her liking. The autumn winds swept past he crimson dress sending a chill to her spine. Soon she was greeted warmly by the king and queen of Tortal but she could not help but notice that a very important person was absent from the greeting. No where in sight could she see the prince to who she was betrothed to and although his parents desperately attempted to make excuses that he was busy, Alanna knew that he must hate arranged marriages as much as her. However, she knew it was her royal duty to both her country and her people that she makes this important alliance to Tortal. Having finally finished with the greetings, Alanna was allowed to enter the warmth of the palace. As she looked up before entering, she saw a face looking down at her from the battlements. His look of discontentment struck her but she thought no more of the matter and entered the palace.  
  
It was the night of Alanna's first ball at the palace and although she had met many people of the court, there was one person who she was particularly curious about but whom she still had not met. This was Prince Jonathan, the man she was betrothed to. She had met his cousin who was not her guide around the palace.  
  
'And now we are approaching the conference room where the most important meetings of the realms are held, and an excellent place to take a nice nap which one is tiring', he said in an undertone. 'So your highness, where would you like to go to now?'  
  
'Stop it Gary, you know I would much prefer you to call me by Alanna instead of your highness. Being 'your highness' has resulted in me being in a foreign country with my betrothed nowhere to be seen.'  
  
'Come now, I'm sure he's been really busy what with everything going on. It is nearing the start of the season you know and this marriage to you isn't easy to organise. Tell you what, let's go to the practice courts for Jon might be there and you have always expressed an interest in our armoury.'  
  
And so they went to the practice courts and on nearing it the distinct grunts of effort and men fight relentlessly against each other. They entered; Alanna had just stopped Gary from interrupting the fighters as she had not wanted any awkwardness she knew she would arouse. On the courtyard, two men were duelling hard, concentrating at each move the other made. Alanna recognised the man facing them as her new friend Raoul of Goldenlake who grinned when he saw her and an instant was disarmed by his dark haired opponent. The stranger fought well and Alanna was impressed with the skill of the knight and was keen to speak to him. As the two men approached them, both Alanna and the stranger viewed each other with disclosure. The clear sapphire eyes of the stranger hardened and he made a quick apology and swept away. Alanna stood shocked as an angry Gary tried to call out to his cousin with no avail.  
  
That night Alanna sat in her room preparing for the on coming ball. Why did the Prince hate her so much? What had she done? For she had now realised that it was he that had been the one to look upon her with displeasure and added on to his behaviour today, Alanna was plainly shocked at why he had taken onto the betrothal so badly. Gary had of course made excuses and told her that Jon was not feeling himself lately but having even known Gary for only a short space of time; she knew that he was not telling her the whole truth. 


	2. The decision

Standing on the top of the staircases of the grand ball room Alanna nervously straightened her ruby skirts. She wanted to make a good impression. Just because the prince was being hostile towards her does not mean that she can give up. Once Alanna puts her mind to something she would not give up on it and she knew that she had to carry this one out until the end. As the light globes shone on her and the prince each on one end of the staircase, claps were heard throughout the whole of the hall and, with a fixed smile, Alanna descended the staircase to meet the prince in the middle. His tense behaviour stuck her again and his kiss on her hand was swift and he dropped it quickly. Pretending she had not noticed anything, she allowed him to steer her towards his parents who again greeted Alanna with the previous friendly tone. After that, Alanna and Jon were to dance. During the dance, Alanna tried to provoke some conversation, without much success. Jon simply did not want to know. As soon as the dance was over, he took her to the nearest seat and went immediately to the opposite side of the room.  
  
Alanna was left feeling foolish and annoyed. It would be fine if Jon had treated her this way in private but in front knights, ladies, royalty and ambassadors, he had left her feeling rather foolish. However, she was soon rescued by Raoul who thought as little of Jon's actions as she did. Raoul had taken to Alanna as his own sister and was very disloyal towards his friends in that effect. Alanna however, had decided to try other tactics in order to make Jon accept and maybe love her.  
  
On the next day, she put into practice her plan. She approached the practice courts dressed in her best. She had taken more than her usual efforts to dress that morning. As she approached the practice courts she straightened her skirts out for the tenth time and she entered. She immediately saw Raoul engaged in a vicious sword fight. Raoul was shouting angrily at Jon about something so Alanna lent further to catch what they were saying. 'How can you publicly insult her like that', he shouted 'no matter what she had done she did not deserve that'. 'Look' Jon angrily shouted back, 'I don't care what you or anyone thinks. The more that the princess understands how little she is wanted the better things will be for her. I will never love her and she will never love me. The marriage would be a sham and by encouraging it you will know that you have gone against the wishes of your prince as well as the wishes of your friend'. 'If I had hesitated in encouraging in this friendship, it would be for your friendship alone' retorted Raoul, 'I care nothing for your royal position and would still continue to do as I see fit. No matter how much you oppose this 'your highness', it will still happen and in time you will fall in love with her, depend upon it.' With that, he came up with and sweep and disarmed the prince with calm.  
  
Alanna, on hearing this, instead of walking away as she had been trained to do, approached not Jon but Raoul with fire in her eyes but there was no warmth in her voice which was as cold as ice. 'I wish to speak with you sir,' she hissed, 'presently'. When they had walked out Alanna immediately flew into the rage well known in the royal family of twilight. 'WHAT WERE YOU DOING' she screamed, 'I CAN FIGHT MY OWN BATTLES. That was completely out of line, I do not need the sympathy from others for having to marry an arrogant, self-loving prince. I have tried, I have really tried. I had never ever had to do something this difficult but once I put my mind on something I tend not to change my opinion upon the matter but this is too much. I obviously am not wanted here. I'm sorry Raoul but I think on this fight, I'll have to give in, there is absolutely no way that this can work. As Jon had said, the marriage would be a sham and I wouldn't want that for anyone'. 'I'll be leaving as soon as the roads open up, at least then, Tortal will have a happy prince again'.  
  
Sorry if it's a bit short and not up to scratch but as have French orals soon you should be proud that it has appeared at all. For those reviews that questioned Alanna's character, I think that she would act in the way she did. I mean, in the books, she had chosen to really follow Jon no matter what which really does show her loyalty to what she believes in (ref. first Daine book). Now if she could do that by being only a knight imagine what she would do if she was the princess in her own country and the intense responsibility upon her. Anyway, I've totally contradicted that with this chapter but its necessary for the following story. Read on. 


	3. Strange happenings at the Palace

Alanna stormed away from the practice courts and slammed her door so hard that she woke the poor servant girl who was cleaning her room.  
  
'leave me' she said and as the poor girl ran away as quickly as her legs could carry her.  
  
Alanna was left alone in her room, contemplating on what had happened and at the same time, she tried to calm herself down. Something had to be done, she knew that much. Something had to be done. She was the daughter of one of the most prestigious kingdoms in the land and yet she was forced to be treated like dirt. She, the daughter of the richest king had to endure the tempers of a most disagreeable prince, who, for his own good and for the good of his people should have never been betrothed.  
  
'I can't take it anymore' she cried with furious tears streaming down her eyes. 'I really can't take it anymore', and with that, she sunk into her bed and cried herself to sleep.  
  
Suddenly, she awoke, as if possessed; she pulled on her white fencing clothes and slipped out into the night. She mounted her faithful horse, moonlight, and rode of into the dense, dark forest surrounding the place.  
  
Alanna thought that no-one had seen her go but she was wrong. Prince Jonathan had been gazing out of his window, contemplating on what had happened for the past few weeks. He knew he had been unnecessarily harsh on the poor princess but he knew he could not love her, he knew he could never learn to love her and the sooner she learnt and accepted the fact, the better it will be in the long run.  
  
As he was lost in his thoughts, the prince saw a shimmer of white flying across the royal courtyard. He remembered the myths of the white knight which had haunted the grounds of the Palace of Twilight but what was it doing here. Could the presence of the royal Twilight family have enticed the ghost to follow? The more the Prince thought, the more his curiosity got the better of him and, taking up his sword, as he was taking no chances, her mounted his horse and took of into the night. 


	4. The annulment

That night Jonathan returned to his rooms in a bewitched state, how could she have so much energy, so much determination to carry out such an impossible task? To fight like that would mean years of practice day and night, which added onto her etiquette lessons was a near impossible resolution to achieve yet she has managed it. He was entranced. He was amazed; he wanted to know her and to understand her strength. He was strangely drawn to her, as he had never been before. He wanted so much to get to know her better.  
  
'I will make it up to her tomorrow,' he said to himself, 'I will.'  
  
He then remembered the anger in her face when he had slighted her in the practice courts.  
  
'Please Goddess I'm not too late' he prayed, and sank down into an uneasy sleep.  
  
The prince arose early in the morning after an uneasy dream. In his dream, he had been transported back to that fateful day when he was just eighteen years old. He remembered it well; it was the day when he was travelling back from the bhazir tribes with Gary. He remembered the spiced in that humid, over perfumed room, the aged old gipsy and her predictions.  
  
'Jon, wake up Jon', the young mischievous Gary stuck his head into his cousin's room.  
  
'Come quick! Come quick!' there isn't a moment to lose.  
  
'What are you talking about, if you want me to accompany you to watch the ladies at their bath, I'm never going again. It's seriously perverted and immoral.' replied the prince.  
  
'Come on I only did that the once, no that's not what's so urgent, you have to hurry up. I've just been wandering around the queen's presence chamber and I heard that the princess Alanna was expected today to cancel the betrothal.'  
  
'What???' shouted the prince, who had no idea why the idea of cancelling a hated betrothal was affecting him in this way. 'Surely she has no power to do that, what gives her the right to cancel the marriage of the prince of Tortall.'  
  
'Come on Jon, stop being so arrogant and put yourself in someone's shoes for once.' Gary suggested vehemently, 'not only have you ignored her ever since she came but you have insulted her in every possible way in front of all the nobles and the whole country, how do you expect a future queen to operate in such conditions. Anyway its not as if you're in love with her is it, I mean, come on we both know what happened on your birthday, both know your fate.'  
  
'Silence!' Jon roared, 'do you think I need to be reminded of that night?' he asked, anger tinged with fear. 'No, I am most certainly not in love with her but still, if I allow her to pursue in this annulment, I am allowing her to go against me. How dare she go behind my back about this, I her prince and her lord to be.'  
  
'Yeah, and I was wondering what it was that was putting her off you.' Smirked Gary. 'Your arrogance must be your most favoured characteristic. For once in your life put your damned ego aside and grasp onto this one. Your parents adore her, the people respect her, despite your attempts and what's more your friends like her. Come on Jon, I've never asked for anything before. For me?'  
  
'Gods help me, how is such a woman to be swayed though. I'll give it a go Gary but I'm not promising anything.'  
  
With that the prince swept out of the room.  
  
As he approached the queen's presence chamber, he paused and leaned in to eavesdrop on the conversation taking place on the other side of the door.  
  
'.as I was saying your majesty, I cannot marry him' Alanna's voice rang out 'he clearly does not love me and indeed I don't believed he would ever learn to like me let alone any deeper emotion than that. I have tried, godmother, honestly I have, but surely you do not want us to both be doomed in this loveless marriage? You've always told me to tell you what was wrong in my life and this, this is wrong.'  
  
'But you had been brought up as his wife. You were intended for each other since birth.' Pleaded Lianne.  
  
'That may be the case but I still cannot love him after all I have seen of him, I am sorry to say this god mother but he is arrogant, he feels for nothing but himself. I cannot commit to a man like that, never.'  
  
Jon, gently retreated from the door, forming another plan. He didn't understand why he was getting so worked up over this betrothal when he could have any that he wished, or could he?  
  
He walked slowly away when and idea stuck him, he needed to appeal to his father, yes that would do. His father wasn't obliged to the princess like his mother. He would grant them an extension, and with that in mind, he walked quickly to his fathers study. 


	5. The condition

'What is the meaning of this', demanded Alanna on entering the prince's rooms. 'What in the world are you playing at'?  
  
'I'm afraid I am quite bewildered at what you are speaking of and what...'  
  
'Don't give me that crap Jon, I'm sick and tired of your immature games as it is. Why would you not just let this annulment be? I know you hated being trapped in a loveless engagement as much as I, so why did you have to petition to your father for an extension?'  
  
'There are a number of issues here that I would like to address' replied Jon with calm serenity. 'The first of which is your behaviour in annulling the engagement in the first place. Did you not know that as prince and your betrothed that it is I and only I whom has the power to alter the situation in any way and your behaviour today was both impertinent and disrespectful? Also' he added before she could cut in 'has no one ever told you that entrance to my room is restricted to myself and those I choose to see. If you wish for my company I may join you in your room for that is my privilege and not yours.  
  
'Yes it is your right to claim me whenever you wish, your highness,' spat Alanna, 'But let me say this. What ever you are playing at here will never work do you hear, I've had enough of this arrogant superiority and your selfishness for the concerns of my feelings. As soon as the roads open I will return to my own country whether you indulge me with your permission or not.'  
  
With that she stormed out of the room leaving the prince staring blanking at the place she had stood.  
  
That night he crept out again after midnight and rode to the clearing where he had last found the princess practicing her sword. He edged as close as he dared without risking being seen. He was bewitched, enraptured, he could not turn away. The move of her body, the sheer determination in her eyes affected him in a way he would not have thought possible. He had an urge to want to join her, to know her and to have her love, yet he knew it wasn't possible.  
  
'Yes it isn't possible' thought Jon bitterly 'it just isn't possible'. Yet he didn't want her to hate him for what he had to do ...  
  
'I need to make it up to her, I need some time alone with her,' thought Jon, as he became lost in his thought, gazing out at the beauty in front of him.  
  
Princess Alanna woke up to a timid knocking on her door. Moaning, Alanna rose up and moved towards the door.  
  
'Yes?' She inquired, making out the faint image of a serving maid holding out a letter to her.  
  
'If you please mam', the maid said softly, 'it's a letter from her majesty.'  
  
Alanna dressed hurriedly yet carefully for it was not everyday one was called to attend on the Queen. She placed on her head her tiara, the sign of her royalty, to her the sign of her entrapment, and set off down the halls. The palace was quiet; most of the court was out hunting in the snow for the midwinter feast they were to have tonight.  
  
'Good luck to them', Alanna thought, 'I for sure wouldn't like to spend all day in the cold', as she wrapped her shawl closer to her body.  
  
Soon she arrived at the queen's presence chamber and was admitted in by two rather hostile looking guards. The queen was sitting in the centre of the room, embroidering an alter cloth of gold for the temple of the goddess. Around her the ladies in waiting were arranged elegantly quietly concentrating on their work or entertaining the queen with works of music or poetry.  
  
'How elegant these ladies are' thought Alanna, 'why cannot I be like them, my station in life has given me the status of a princess, I am above these women yet every time I see them I feel inferior, awkward and pretentious, I who am destined to be queen of them and everyone else in this nation.'  
  
'Ah, Alanna, you have come', said the Queen imperiously, holding out her hand for Alanna to kiss.  
  
'Your majesty' Alanna curtsied, taking her hand, 'I believed you wanted to see me.'  
  
'Yes,' the Queen almost faltered and she looked a little flustered for a moment. 'I'm afraid I have some news you would not like,' said the queen, looking anxiously at Alanna. 'It appears that Jonathan, with his father's approval, would take you to stay for a month at his country estate.'  
  
'WHAT???' cried Alanna, 'this can't be possible, I made it quite clear to him last night that I wanted nothing more to do with him. Please, I cannot go and spend a month with someone I share such mutual hatred with; it would be too cruel, too cruel.'  
  
'I understand your anger at these arrangements, goddess knows I do, but I cannot undo them. Jonathan and the king have the monopoly of control on the matter and I can do nothing but watch. I beg you Alanna,' pleaded the queen 'indulge them this once and it will turn out well, I know it. I pray to the gods that it will turn out well'  
  
'I cannot pretend to be happy about these arrangements' commented Alanna tersely 'but we both understand that it must be so. For my love for you and my country I will endeavour to endure it but I can make no promises. I would however like the prince to oblige me in a promise. If matters do not change within the month that I stay with him I would like the permission to return home. That is all I require. That is my condition.' 


	6. The truce

Alanna watched as the stable hands and footmen tied her boxes onto the carriage. She thought of all that had passed within the few days of her stay in the palace of this strange, cold country. Though it had only been a few days she had made a good friend in Gary, Raoul and their various, rather large, friends. In her hands she clutched a letter which had arrived only this morning from her mother.  
  
I trust that you are well my dear and the prince, my soon to be son in law, is well also. I knew you would grow to love him as much as I have.  
  
'yes' Alanna thought bitterly, 'we are both well but as to the latter of the letter however...'  
  
'Alanna, wait'  
  
A shout came from the courtyard interrupting Alanna's thoughts. She turned to find Gary running at her.  
  
'So, all packed and ready to go?' he asked, glancing at the boxes.  
  
'Yes' replied Alanna, glancing at Gary who looked rather nervous and anxious to say something. 'Is something the matter?' she asked.  
  
'Well', he replied shuffling his feet, 'there is something I have to tell you. It concerns Jon and maybe why he behaves as he does to you'.  
  
'Really' retorted Alanna, 'so there is a reason for his arrogance and conceit is there.'  
  
'He truly isn't that bad' replied Gary, 'I've known him since birth and I had never seen him behave in the way he had these past days. He's merely concerned with great matters at present.'  
  
'Come Gary' sighed Alanna, 'I didn't believe that when you told me before and I don't believe it now. What great concern of his could make him hate me so much?'  
  
'Well,' he replied glancing at her 'you understand as well as anyone that the bane of a prince's life is the marriage process. I mean, for the whole of their lives they had never been denied anything yet when it comes to making the biggest decision of their lives they have no choice on the matter.'  
  
'Yes' interrupted Alanna impatiently, 'but I have learnt to live with that so why can't he?'  
  
'Well, a few years ago something happened on his birthday to make him somewhat disdainful of this matter. And to be fair it was quite a shock that had come to him.'  
  
'What could you possibly mean,' asked Alanna, curious.  
  
Gary opened his mouth to answer but was soon stopped as a shout came from behind them.  
  
'Gary' The prince stood before them, 'a word?' he asked and swiftly moved away without a second glance at Alanna.  
  
'You see' demanded Alanna, 'he clearly despises me yet he wants me to go and stay a month alone with him? Why would he do that unless he wanted me to be miserable?'  
  
'All I'm asking is for you to try and live with him' Gary pleaded, 'get to know him and you would find a prince and friend loved by many.' With that, Gary ran to his cousin. 'I'll visit you soon,' he shouted as a farewell to Alanna, 'remember what I said.'  
  
Later that day Alanna sat silent in the carriage facing the prince. They had been travelling for an hour or so and the silence was being to become unendurable. Purely for something to do, Alanna reached and pulled her mother's letter from her purse, rereading it she frowned at her mother's optimism at her marriage to the prince being a success. It seemed that everyone had only praises to sing about the prince yet what he had done to deserve it was a mystery to Alanna. Thinking, she remembered what Gary had asked of her. To get to know the prince, to understand why he behaved the way he did, to get some answers. She after all had to spend a month with him, perhaps even a lifetime. Sighing she turned to the prince with a forced smile on her face.  
  
'Your highness,' she said sweetly 'I believe that we had not started our acquaintance well and I wish to make amends. I understand that you were pressurized in the palace and that various factors had prevented our getting to know each other better. I would like to form a truce with you. We after all would be in each other's company exclusively for a month and the least we could do was to be civil to each other. Would you do me the honour to agree to my request?'  
  
Jon gave her a searching look and after a few moments consideration replied that that was possible. With that they returned to silence.  
  
'Wonderful,' thought Alanna 'I am to spend a month with a mute.' 


	7. Conte Park

Alanna woke up at dusk to find herself rudely waken by Jon coughing at her.  
  
'We have arrived', he said gruffly, and descended the carriage without another word.  
  
Grumbling Alanna roused herself fully and felt as annoyed as a cat woken suddenly from a comfortable sleep. Frustrated and a little disoriented, she descended the carriage and was surprised that Jon was waiting for her to aid her down the steps.  
  
'This is Conte park; my country estate,' he said as he offered an arm to Alanna, 'We rarely have visitors here so there may be a slight feeling of isolation during your stay here. It is a quite life that is adopted in the park and things would take place at a slower pace than that which happens at court. Life is less formal and I hope you would find it to your taste. The housekeeper would arrive shortly and would show you to your room.'  
  
With that, Jon swiftly left Alanna in the hall of 'the house' on her own. It was more like a palace that a house with its marble floors and staircases. Its high ceilings and tall windows were somewhat imposing yet there was a sense of home to it. The windows were flung open and Alanna could hear the wildlife and a faint whisper of a stream. This certainly is a beautiful house, she thought, and was interrupted from her reverie by the housekeeper coming into the hall. She was a nice old woman with a kind face and a bustling mother like character. She approached Alanna smiling and spoke to her as a grandmother would to her granddaughter. There was no hint of the strict social hierarchies in place here and Alanna could see that she would be happy and would grow to like and love this old lady.  
  
After a few minutes of idle conversation, the topic turned onto that of the prince.  
  
'So we have you to thank for bringing the young Jonathan home do we?' asked Mary, as she wished to be called.  
  
'That may be open to debate,' Alanna answered, 'it was something of a royal order that had caused me to be here.'  
  
'Really, that is very shocking,' replied Mary, ' this does not sound like their majesties to do such things, in fact I had received from her majesty a letter only this morning which had only good to say and praises to sing about you.'  
  
'Oh I do not mean that the queen had order me here, it had been the work of the Prince with the aid of the king', replied Alanna.  
  
'That cannot be so,' replied Mary, 'Jonathan could never want to force anyone to do anything they do not want to.'  
  
Alanna was very shocked at that.  
  
'I beg your pardon madam but I cannot believe that that is possible. Since I had arrived in this country I had been doing nothing but the orders given to me by the prince. His arrogance at court and his presumptuous superiority has lead me to believe that he had behaved very similarly to everyone. His desire is to control everything and everyone has to know their place and abide by the rules he set.'  
  
'It is true that Jonathan can be rather determined in his way but he had never shown me an ounce of arrogance all his life,' replied a flustered Mary, 'he is the epitome of goodness and fairness.'  
  
'I can see that we have very different ideas and opinions about the prince' Alanna laughed, wondering why the opinion of this old lady differed so much from her own. 'We cannot stand her and idle all day, could you please lead me to my rooms, I wish to recover from my journey, it had been long.'  
  
'Of course my dear', right this way. 'Now Jonathan was very specific about the location of your bedchamber and your rooms. It is usual for the prince and his betrothed to rest in adjacent rooms. However, Jonathan feared that that arrangement at court had made you uneasy and has required me to place you in the room used by the Queen when she stays. It is a lovely room located in the east wing and overlooking the gardens.  
  
With that she led Alanna through the many corridors of the house. Every wall was filled with pictures of old kings and queens. Unlike the imposing state portraits, as can be found in the galleries at the palace in Corus, these portraits were family pictures, showing the royalty with their families.  
  
'Here we are', said Mary suddenly as they turned a corner, 'your room'.  
  
She opened into the most breathtaking room in the world, though simply furnished the room was elegant and perfectly complimented by the views of the garden outside.  
  
'Beautiful isn't it' said Mary, correctly interpreting Alanna's awestruck face. 'Jonathan was most determined for you to have this room, it really is the pride of the house.  
  
Alanna stood in awe struck silence, how could someone so seemly self centred as the prince understand so much of nature and beauty to create such a beautiful house. She shook her head and deemed it impossible; no doubt he had acquired some famous architect or designer to help him.  
  
Mary looked at Alanna intently, 'you know Jonathan is not a bad person. He is often nervous in court, so much is expected of him. As the heir he is expected to act a certain way and his upbringing has taught him to be proud and yes, maybe even arrogant. All I am asking is that you give him a chance, he must have brought you're here for a reason. It'll all turn out well, you'll see.'  
  
With that, she left, reminding Alanna that the park was now hers to explore. Alanna sat down on the bed, deep in thought.  
  
'This should be an interesting month.' She said aloud. With that she started to unpack. 


End file.
